This invention relates to ornamental and protective edge guards which are applied to the edges of sheet metal closure panels of automotive vehicles, such as the doors of the vehicles.
In a typical automotive vehicle, door edge guards are applied to the trailing edges of the vehicle's doors to protect the door edges from damage which might be caused by striking an object which may be present in a door's path when the door is opened. It is often desirable for such door edge guards to be made of bright metal, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or bimetal, due to the excellent protective and ornamental character of such material. Furthermore, the inherent strength and resiliency of metallic edge guards enable them to be self-retaining on the doors. Correspondingly, it is generally undesirably to use separate fasteners or adhesives in securing door edge guards to doors since they involve extra cost in labor and materials. It is also generally undesirable to use non-metallic edge guards, such as vinyl edge guards, since they do not possess the excellent protective, ornamental, and self-retention characteristics of bright metallic edge guards. In connection with the usage of self-retaining edge guards, it has heretofore been recognized that the potential for paint scratching and marring exists when the metallic edge guards are applied to vehicle door edges. Such paint scratching can lead to premature corrosion of the door edge metal.
Some of applicant's own inventions have addressed the matter of possible paint scratching and have provided solutions. Applicant has also recognized that electrochemical corrosion is a potential problem where the metal of the vehicle door and the metal of the edge guard are dissimilar. Some of applicant's own inventions have addressed this problem and provided solutions. Reference is made to applicant's own U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,687 and his pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 021,084, filed Mar. 16, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,812; Ser. No. 021,085, filed Mar. 16, 1979 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,633; Ser. No. 118,475 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,700, filed Feb. 4, 1980; Ser. No. 132,525, filed Mar. 21, 1980 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,398; and Ser. No. 194,747 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,148, Ser. Nos. 194,748, and 194,749, filed Oct. 7, 1980; and Ser. Nos. 205,419 and 205,420, filed Nov. 10, 1980, and Ser. No. 216,483, filed Dec. 15, 1980.
These prior applications disclose the use of plastic liners to insulate the metal edge guard from the vehicle door. The liners may be extruded plastic, plastic encapsulation, foam plastic, or plastic film by way of example.
It is usually desirable in a metallic edge guard formed from strip, or sheet, material to provide beads at the distal portions of the inner and outer legs of the edge guard. The beads eliminate the raw edges which would otherwise exist and are beneficial in improving the retention characteristics of the edge guard on the door. At least some of the aforementioned applications disclose edge guards in which the metal beads are covered by insulating material.
The present invention is directed to a new and improved edge guard and method whereby insulated beads of novel construction are provided. The invention is disclosed in a number of embodiments herein, illustrating the exceptional potential for practicing the invention. While a principal advantage of the invention is that the metallic edge guard is protectively insulated from the door edge on which it is applied, the invention in certain embodiments thereof possesses desirable aesthetic qualities, in conjunction with its functional attributes. More specifically, the invention can provide a thin decorative band along the front edge of the outer leg forming a contrast to the bright metal strip. The thin decorative band is provided by the insulating liner, which preferably is a vinyl plastic film having a dark color such as dark brown, black, or navy. The invention, in its preferred forms, nonetheless is efficient in its use of materials, requiring only the metal strip and the vinyl liner, the two being adhered together by any suitable means such as adhesive, heat bonding, etc. The invention provides the desirable characteristics of metallic edge guards without the potential disadvantages which a strictly metallic edge guard may have. Thus, the invention exhibits excellent retention characteristics, appearance characteristics, and protective characteristics while utilizing only a metal strip and insulating layer.
Additional features, advantages, and benefits, along with those ennumerated above, will be seen in the ensuing description and claims which should be considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings disclose presently preferred embodiments of the invention in accordance with the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention.